Accordion bass section



W. B. AHERN ET AL June 1 2, 1951 ACCORDION BASS SECTION Filed Dec. 19, 1946 June 12, 1951 w. B. AHERN ET AL ACCORDION BASS SECTION Filed Dec. 19, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJ. 1 W/LL/HM l5.

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June 12, 1951 w. B. AHERN ET AL ACCORDION BASS SECTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 19, 1946 actuating action and chassis.

Patented June 12, 1951 PATENT OFFICE ACCORDION BASS SECTION William B. Ahern and Albert J. Walt, De Kalb,

Ill., assignors to The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation Application December 19, 1946, Serial No. 717,168

3 Claims.

1 This invention relates to an accordion bass section comprising the action, together with-the "mounting and assembling of the chassis in a decorative shell or housing, and including the hand strap support therefor and the bellows attached thereto.

It is the object of this invention to produce an accordionbass action of simplified parts and assembly, whereby the actuating mechanism may be built up in separate units for convenient as- .sembly and attached to each other to provide a complete action which in turn may be readily mounted on a chassis support, including the valve plate, reed blocks and shift valves, after which the housing shell-may be slipped over the A hand strap may then be removably and adjustably connected withthe chassis to complete the bass section of the accordion.

One feature of the invention resides in the arrangement of the action chassis, shell and bellows assembly and parts thereof to accomplish the foregoing purposes.

Other. features of the invention will be pointed out and described in the following specifications, including the bearing spacers for the action rods,

the pressure release valve, mounting of the action pins upon the action rods, and the action pin engaging portion provided on the pistons.

The 'full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bass action mounted within the housing shell with a portion of said shell broken away and parts of the action 4 tral longitudinal section and with parts omitted, illustrative of the hand strap at one end thereof and-the hand strap adjusting wheel at the opposite end thereof, with the hand strap and adjusting wheel in connected relation.

Fig. 5 is a view' similar to the right-hand end viewof Fig. 4, showing the hand strap removed and the adjusting wheel therefor in retracted position.

Fig.6 is a perspective view showing sections of an action rod with modified forms of action pins connected with the several sections illustrated.

Fig. 7 is aplan view of one of the action pistons associated with the action rod.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the bearing and spacing bars with selected action rodsassociated therewith.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the bearing and spacing bars with the action rods, as shown in Fig. 8.

In thedrawings there is shown an accordion bass action including a chassis support Ill upon which the action mechanism is mounted, there being provided a housing shell I! formed to fit over the action mechanism and be secured about a downwardly turned flange of the chassis support [B by the locking screws extending through the screw holes 12. Said chassis support is preferably formed of cast aluminum or sheet metal stamping, and is provided withthe usual series of valve controlled ports [3 communicating with the usual reed boxes. The housing shell I may be formed of molded plastic, stamped sheet metal or any-suitable material, such as to provide a decorative box. It is formed on one side thereof with a finger action panel l4 having the usual apertures [5 through which the piston buttons 15 extend. Said shell is alsoprovided with a longitudinal slot I! through which a valve shift bar It! is arranged to extend. Secured over the upper surface of the chassis support there is provided a valve plate l9 housing the usual shift valves 20 to be actuated by the shift bar [8 for controlling the valve apertures l3.

The action mechanism is preferably assembled in two units which are then secured together to provide an action mechanism mounted on the chassis support. The action mechanism thus mounted on the chassis support and with the bellows attached thereto are housed by placing the housing shell ll thereover upon threading the piston buttons l5 through the apertures l5 therein, as well as the shift barit through the aperture ll.

The lower actionunit, as shown-in Fig. 1, is carried by opposed end brackets 21, whereas the upper unit is supported by the end brackets 2|a. Said brackets in turn support the longitudinally extending channel members 22 which embrace and mount transversely slotted bridge members 23. Said bridge members support within their respective slots for transverse sliding action therein, the action pistons 24 and the pusher bars 25. Said pistons and bars. are locked in their respective slots by a bridge cap in the form 3 of a bar 26 secured along the upper surface of the respective bridge members 23.

Extending longitudinally of the action units there is a plurality of action rods 21. Said rods have their end hearings in the removable action rod caps 28. Said caps are preferably in the form of a bearing material which is moulded to provide a series of bearing sockets in the inner face thereof, as indicated at 29 by dotted lines. Said caps are removably secured to the end brackets after the rods are assembled in the bearing sockets. Each of said action rods 21 has attached thereto an upstanding action pin 3!! engageable by a looped fold 3| formed at an appropriate position on its associated action piston 24.

Thus, in the usual manner, upon the button ll; of the piston being pressed, said piston is caused to slide in the bearing grooves of the bridge members 23 to swing the action pin with its action rod. Each action rod also carries a series of pusher pins 32 which, upon swinging of the action rod, engages the projections 33 on one or more selected pusher bars 25. Said pusher bars have their actuatingends formed with one or more bowed pusher fingers 35 engageable with associated valve lifter arms 36. Said lifter arms are connected to the valve lifters 31, being fulcrumed at their juncture on a hinge rod 38 supported upon the chassis support Ill by the brackets 39. Said valve lifters 3'! are secured in the usual manner to the respective valves 40. The valves are normally held in closed position under spring tension by a spring 4!, each being anchored at one end to the base of a bracket 39 with its upper end bearing against and secured to the arm 35, urgin it in valve closing position. Said spring, through the arm 36 also biases the pusher bars to normal position which in turn oscillates the action rod through pin 33, said action rod acting to return the action button to normal position through the pin 30.

For supporting and spacing the action rods 2'! intermediate their end caps 28, there is provided at spaced intervals longitudinally of the action units a pair of bars 42 43 which in association with each other provide bearings and spacing elements for said action rods. The ends of said bars are secured adjacent each other to the under sides of the channel members 22, one of said bars being provided with elongated slots in its ends for longitudinal adjustment relative to the other bar, through which slots extend the securing screws 44. The bar 42 is provided with teeth 45 extending at an angle in one direction and the bar 45 is provided with teeth 45 extending in the opposite direction so that when mated together as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 9, they overlap to embrace the respective action rods 21. Thus, after the action rods are mounted in place carried by their end bearing caps 28 the saw toothed bearing and spacing bars 42, 43 may be secured thereabout at spaced intervals, adjusted and locked into place by the screws M with the rods embraced by their oppositely directed overlapping teeth.

Each of the action units is built up separately to embody its own end brackets 2i, Zia, action rods 27 with their end bearing caps 28, and with their respective action pistons 24 and pusher bars 34 mounted in the bridge members 23. Upon each of the units being so assembled the lower unit is secured to the chassis support it, the valves 40 with their valve lifters 3'! and associated parts having been previously mounted thereon together with the valve plate Hi. The end bracket 2i is provided with lower feet 41 for this purpose. It is also provided with top flanges :38 to receive the feet 49 of the end bracket 2la. They are secured together by the bolts 56.

The chassis support ID is provided with an air release opening 5| adjacent one end of the action mechanism above described. There is secured therecver a bearing clip 52 which spans said opening 5! without closing it to permit air to pass therethrough. Slidable in the bearing clip 52 there is a tube 53 extending between a cup washer 54 and valve washer 55. Between the bearing clip 52 and the cup washer 54 there is a spiral compression spring 56 surrounding the tube 53. On the upper surface of the Valve washer 55 there is secured a felt washer 5i to act as a silencing cushion and valve seal upon the valve being closed under tension of spring 55. The valve is manually moved to open position to release air from the bellows through the opening 5| upon the valve washer 55 being depressed against tension of spring 56 by valve rod 58 connected with the washer at its lower end and extending through the tube 53. Said valve rod is slightly bent and carries an air release button 59 at its upper end positioned to project through an opening in the shell H.

On the opposite side of the chassis support H] from the action, the usual reed blocks 60 are mounted to extend therefrom into the bellows. Said reed blocks are fastened to said chassis support by screws 5!. Said chassis support also has pivotally mounted on its action side by a screw 52, a shift mechanism indicated at 63 having its actuated end secured to the shift bar [8 and its actuating end connected with the slide valves 29. The valves 40 are provided on their under face with a, felt collar 64 secured in recesses formed in the under surface thereof about its edges, said felt collar extending beyond the surface of the valve body and over which the valve skin 65 is secured. The felt collars by protruding from the body of the valves form a sealing cushion which bears against the edges of the valve ports I3. By reason thereof an effective seal is provided for the ports such as will not be affected by slight misalignment of the valves or wearing of their valve skins.

Rigidly secured to the chassis support Ill at each end thereof there are strap supporting brackets and 61 by lneans of which the shell I I is rigidly secured over the action mechanism when assembled. Adjacent each end of the shell there is an aperture over which the bars providing feet 68 are positioned, said feet being recessed and apertured to receive the locking bolts 69, said bolts passing through the apertures of the feet for threaded engagement with the threaded locking sleeves 7E! secured to the upper flange of the respective supporting brackets, the opposed flange thereof being riveted at H to the chassis support it. The bracket 66 carries laterally and outwardly extending supporting plates 72 in parallel spaced relation, to slidably receive and. support a strap adjusting wheel T3 in horizontal relation to the chassis support and in alignment with an aperture M in the end wall of the shell so as to partially extend therethrough, as shown in Fig. 4. Said wheel is provided with an internally threaded hub 15 adapted to be moved into and out of alignment with the apertures 16 in the supporting plates 12. In assembling the shell ll over the action mechanism the strap adjusting wheel 13 is retracted to the position shown in Fig. 5

so as to be out of the way during assembly. After assembly it is locked in operative position, as shown in Fig. 4, after being moved to extend through the slot 14. In this position its threaded hub is aligned with the apertures 16 so as to receive a threaded stem 18 secured to one end of a hand strap 19 for extension through an opening 88 in the shell and into threaded engagement with the hub 15.

The bracket 61 has secured thereon a hook 8| adapted to removably receive a metal loop 82 secured to the other end of the hand strap for insertion through an opening 83 in the shell. After the shell has been assembled over the action mechanism and secured to the brackets by the bolts 89, the metal loop 82 of the strap is inserted through the opening 83 and dropped down to pass over the hook 8|. Thereupon the opposite end of the strap connected to the threaded stem 18 is inserted through the opening 88 in the shell, and, with the adjusting wheel 13, moved to its operating position through the slot 14, entered into the threaded hub thereof for screw thread engagement therewith. Thereupon the adjusting wheel 13 is rotated to draw the stem inwardly, by which means the hand strap 19 may be loosened or tightened.

After the units of the action mechanism have been assembled together and secured upon the chassis support l0, the shell H is placed over the chassis, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, during which assembly the piston buttons l 8 and the air release button 59 are aligned with their respective openings in the shell to pass therethrough as the shell is assembled over the action. The shell is then secured in place and the hand strap mounted thereon as above described. The entire bass box in its finally assembled form may then be attached to the bellows 84. For this purpose the upper edge of the bellows is secured to a metal frame 85 comprising a horizontal flange to the underside of which there is glued a wooden strip 88 which in turn has the end fold 81 of the bellows glued thereto.

The outer edge of the horizontal portion of the metal frame 85 is formed with a decorative bead 88 having extended edges, the lower of which encloses the strips 88 and the adjacent fold of the bellows, the upper of which provides a chan-- nel 89 in conjunction with the upwardly extending web portion 98 of the frame. The web portion 98 is formed to seat within the downwardly turned flange of the chassis support l0, which flange extends into the channel 89. Sufficient space remains in said channel to receive and seat the lower edge of the shell ll. With the parts thus assembled they are secured together, the bellows frame, chassis support and shell, by the locking screws 9| extending through the screw holes I2, said screws having threaded engagement with the vertical web 90 of the frame 85.

In Fig. 6 there is shown several modifications of the action pin 38, particularly in respect to its mounting on the action rod 21. Said action rod may either be solid or tubular, but is annular in cross section. The connecting end of the action pin 30 is formed hook shape, as indicated at 38a, being formed of wire partially encircling the rod so as to be slipped thereover and brased thereon. The action pin I30 is formed of stamped sheet metal with a flanged hub I30a extruded therefrom to be slipped over the rod 21 and brased thereon. The pin 230 is of wire with a 6 saddle-like head 230a adapted to seat over the upper surface of the rod and secured thereto by brasing. The pin 338 is of stamped sheet metal formed with a saddle 338a for partially embracing and seating upon the rod 21 in position to be secured thereto by brasing.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an accordion bass action having a chassis support, a pair of spaced end brackets mounted thereon, spaced bridge supports supported between said brackets, a plurality of action rods mounted between said bridge supports with end bearings in said brackets, and intermediate spacing and supporting bars secured transversely thereof to said bridge supports, each of said bars comprising a pair of members longitudinally adjustable relative to each other having a series of reversely directed overlapping angular projections embracing an action rod in the reverse direction to interlock therewith against displacement while permitting oscillation thereof.

2. In an accordion bass section having a plurality of action rods and end supports therefor, spacing and supporting members for said rods each comprising a pair of metal strips adapted to be adjustably secured adjacent and relative to each other, each adjacent strip being formed with an upwardly bent flange portion provided with reversely directed angular projections adapted to receive said action rods therebetween for jointly retaining said rods in spaced relation and overlapping each other to jointly embrace and retain said rods thereon.

3. An accordion bass section including a chassis support having valve ports therein, reed blocks secured to one side of said support each in communication with one of said ports, a bass action assembly secured to said chassis support on the opposite side thereof, valve lifts pivotally mounted on said chassis support to be actuated by said action assembly, a valve head carried by each of said valve lifts seatable over said valve ports, each of said valve heads being recessed about its outer edge in line with the edge of the port over which it is seated, a compressible cushion secured within said recess to extend beyond the port engaging face of said valve head, and a valve skin extending over said cushion and the intermediate face of said valve head, whereby said cushion will provide a compressible seal between said valve head and the edge of the port adapted to be closed thereby.

WILLIAM B. AHERN. ALBERT J. WALT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,059,535 Galleazzi Apr. 22, 1913 1,908,246 Hohner May 9, 1933 2,055,206 Reischick Sept. 22, 1936 2,111,953 Turturro Mar. 22, 1938 2,134,854 Bolster Nov. 1, 1938 2,138,749 Skudies Nov. 29, 1938 2,153,817 Terhaar Apr. 11, 1939 2,185,894 Lindeberg Jan. 2, 1940 2,197,980 Lindeberg Apr. 23, 1940 2,221,980 Lindeberg Nov. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 700,359 Germany Dec. 18, 1940 

